Cash, cash and more cash

I don't really care for cashiers that roll their eyes at me.
It ticks me off or to put it nicely it hurts my feelings.
Usually as in the case over the weekend the person is
under 30 years old.

I don't care for the rolling of the eyes, extra breath
pushed out and roll of the neck combined with the slump of
the shoulders.

I had the audacity to pay cash. At a local fabric store my bill was
$26.00 plus some change. I gave the girl a $50.00 bill.
Every cashier now has to hold it up to the light, same with a $100.00 bill
and announce to the remaining people in line...oh bother, I have to do
this because "this old fashioned person is paying cash". Then because
said cashier does not have sufficient mathematical skills has to look at the
till read out to see how much change I will be needing. Good news,
even if the electricity goes out, I know how much change I am entitled to.

Mr. Right was telling me the story of how he was paid when he first was
in the US Army. It was a day to dress in his class A uniform. It was an
all day procedure, once a month. (I won't spoil the story for you if you want to ask
him for all the details, however I will highlight a few.) He would be
marched over and then reported in alphabetically of course to the
pay officer. He (yes, he) would count out your pay twice. Mr. Right would
then count it back and then you would sign for it. He would then
be marched to the line to buy savings bonds and travelers checks.
Then he would be marched to the bank.....later that night...lots of
soldiers would be completely broke after playing cards. Some, I will
let you guess who, would be calculating and saving and plotting
and would be good to go for the rest of the month after being paid
less than $300.00 per month.

Being paid for a job well done was of importance. It was made
to take up an entire day. It was the employer "thanking" them
in the way of a stack of cash. You were to say thank you to the
pay officer. You were proud of the money you made.

Fast forward thirty some years.....while waiting in line at a
drive through coffee stand the person in front of us used a debit
card to pay for a $3.00 drink. That got us to talking and thinking
and thinking some more.

Some/most folks today don't even touch a paycheck. It goes from some
magical computer to be directly deposited in your bank. Some/most
folks pay all their bills on line or with a debit card in person. People
pay for groceries or a coffee or a donut or a hotel or a meal with a
debit card. NEVER touching or placing a value on GOOD OLD CASH.

So you just might end up paying with a debit card at say a fast food establishment
for your $6.00 lunch as well as you pay for your $100.00 meal at a
lovely restaurant with a debit card. Your end experience will have the exact same feeling. Heck you can even put a tip on
your debit card for a restaurant or a coffee stand. There really is
no feeling of difference. No value or thought has been put into the
transaction. Those "oh my gosh" moments of gratitude for a
wonderful meal out and counting out and paying cash as a
"thank you" just are not happening.

Same can be said for the horrid attitudes of many, many workers and
employers today. The overwhelming attitudes of not feeling appreciated. After much thought,
I am guessing if the owners/managers of businesses had to go to the
bank, get a suitcase full of money, count it and then sit behind a card
table as each employee came up in turn, it would be a different feeling in
every office. The employer would have to look up the person, count out the
money then offer the money over and say thank you for a job well done.
The employee would instantly have a sense of GRATITUDE and say thank you
back. Then they would count the money back. Mind you this also gives the
employer a moment to reflect on said employee and wonder have they
really earned their money?

Yes, you are safe to assume that Mr. Right and I pay cash for about 90% of
every transaction we make. Yes, we are the only people who pay cash
at the dentist. Yes, we are the only people that pay cash at the grocery store
(yes, even the $300.00+ totals). At the beginning of the month, we go to
the bank, yep even walk inside. We take out cash.
We go home and fill our envelopes for what we have budgeted.

We place importance on our money. We value it and have respect for
the hours it took to earn it. In today's society, it is unusual for most to
plan ahead and use cash.

Apparently, cashiers are going to continue to be bothered by my
chosen method of paying. I am guessing that I will continue to
get the rolling of the eyes and the leaking out of air in exasperation
the very next time I hand over cash instead of a quick tap of a
debit card.

So the next time you happen to be in line behind me and you see
the cashier hold up my money and peer up into the light, please know
I have made a sincere choice to spend that money. I know where it
came from, how long I had to work at earning it, I know exactly which
envelope the change will go into and yes, I am fully aware of the
attitude I will most likely receive.

I will continue on my way. I will continue to appreciate and value
using cash. I will continue to be graceful even when others are
frustrated with me. Being good stewards of our money makes
us feel right with the world.